VNA Foundation

About VNA

VNA attempts to strike a balance between proactive and reactive grantmaking. Although we sometimes request proposals or initiate grants based on our knowledge of the health-related needs and developments within the communities we serve, often there is no replacement for the expertise of those on the "front lines"-our grantee partners.

So, we always welcome unsolicited inquiries and proposal ideas as well. And we approve and disburse grants at least four times per year, which we hope allows us to be responsive to the sometimes pressing needs of the underserved populations served by our grantees.

Our Mission: To support home and community-based healthcare for the medically underserved in the Chicago metropolitan area. Read more about our mission

We are fortunate to have a board and staff committed to enhancing health services for the medically underserved.

See a complete list of directors and staff

Recent News

Oral Health Initiative Exceeds Expectations in Final Year

Dental care for the needy is devastatingly scarce in the Chicago area and tens of thousands of people are left with untreated disease and decay.  Research has linked poor oral health to serious conditions such as heart disease and premature birth, and has also shown that dental disease can exacerbate many of the chronic illnesses that medically underserved populations frequently battle.   

   That’s why four years ago VNA approached Erie Family Health Center to plan an Oral Health Initiative (OHI) to help avert an oral health crisis in Chicago.  Erie agreed to house and administer a regional oral health facility, and VNA agreed to build support for the OHI via collaboration among local foundations.   

   The ultimate result of the OHI, nearly four years in the making, was over 7,000 unduplicated dental visits last year to some of the area’s most needy patients, and an innovative new model of integrated dental and primary care.  Although not without its challenges, the OHI exceeded VNA’s hopes from beginning to end, and provided hard evidence of just how much can be accomplished when grantors and grantees work together, as true partners, to achieve a common goal.   

Read more about the OHI and its outcomes

LETTER OF INTENT
DEADLINE APPROACHING

Letters of Intent are due on or before June 11, 2009.  See our guidelines and procedures for more information.

Annual Reports

Recipient of the 2008 Wilmer Shields Rich Gold Award for excellence in communications sponsored by the Council on Foundations.

View This Year's Annual Report

FAQs

• What type of grants does VNA fund?
• How large a grant will VNA fund?
• What is the best way to approach VNA to discuss a proposal?
• How often and when does VNA accept grant proposals?
• Does VNA make multi-year grants?

Find more answers to your questions >>